Providing Increased Ability To Perform A Transaction Based On Locale
A method and system is provided that allows a user to select a default currency to be used with the mobile device and associate it with the currency selector of the device. When using the mobile device for mobile payments in a locale with a different currency than the user's default or home currency, the user can actuate the currency selector to convert the currency amount to the default currency and easily determine the default equivalent currency.
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The present disclosure relates to the field of mobile devices, and more specifically, to a method and system for enabling locale based currency conversion when performing mobile payment transactions using a mobile device.
BACKGROUNDMobile devices or handheld electronic devices, such as cell phones or mobile phones, have become increasingly part of everyday life and can be used to facility payment rather than traditional cash, credit card or debit card transactions. The adoption of mobile payment systems using proximity based payment solutions, such as those using near field communications (NFC), have enabled transactions to occur with a swipe of a device over a reader at a point-of-sale NFC device. The electronic transaction enables money to be transferred or charged to an account by using an e-wallet and can reduce the need to carry traditional payment forms. However with each locale, a different currency may be used to facilitate the transaction. As a user of a mobile device travels easily understanding the cost of a transaction can be difficult in real-time mobile payment transactions. In performing a mobile payment transaction, or when a user desires to cost out something in currencies different than the base currency, it can be difficult for the user to determine and understand the cost of the transaction easily.
Therefore there is a need for an improved method and system for performing currency specific mobile payment transactions a on a mobile device.
Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONEmbodiments are described below, by way of example only, with reference to
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method for performing a locale specific transaction on a mobile device. The method comprises receiving a currency selector input on the mobile device actuated by a user identifying a request to convert the local currency value to a default currency value, the default currency being one of a plurality of default currencies available through actuation of the currency selector input and being assigned to the currency selector input upon an initial actuation of the currency selector or initial activation of the mobile device; converting between the default currency and the local currency using a currency conversion factor; and presenting on a display of the mobile device the local currency value as a default currency value.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a system for performing a locale specific transaction on a mobile device. The system comprising a receiver for communicating with mobile payment devices; a display; a processor coupled to the receiver of the mobile device; and a memory coupled to the processor containing instructions which when executed by the processor for: receiving an currency selector input on the mobile device actuated by a user, the currency selector input identifying a request to convert a local currency value to a default currency value, the default currency being one of a plurality of default currencies available through actuation of the currency selector and being assigned to the currency selector upon an initial actuation or initial activation of the mobile device; converting between the default currency and the local currency using a currency conversion factor; and presenting on the display the local currency value as a default currency value.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a computer readable memory containing instructions for performing a locale specific transaction on a mobile device, the instructions when executed by a processor performing receiving a currency selector input on the mobile device actuated by a user identifying a request to convert the local currency value to a default currency value, the default currency being one of a plurality of default currencies available through actuation of the currency selector input and being assigned to the currency selector input upon an initial actuation of the currency selector or initial activation of the mobile device; converting between the default currency and the local currency using a currency conversion factor; and presenting on a display of the mobile device the local currency value as a default currency value.
The disclosed system and method allows a user to select a default currency to be used with the mobile device and associate it with the currency selector of the device. When using the mobile device for mobile payment electronic commerce transaction in a locale with a different currency than the user's default or home currency, the user can actuate the currency selector to convert the currency amount to the default currency and easily determine the default equivalent currency value. The currency selector allows amounts to be converted between currencies on the mobile device without the requirement for executing additional applications or processes. The mobile device enables changes in currency to be identified based upon a change in location of the device and enables the user to transact mobile payment in different currencies while being able to view or understand the cost in a default currency they are more familiar with.
Mobile devices are generally intended to be portable, and thus are of a relatively compact configuration in which keys and other input structures often perform multiple functions under certain circumstances or may otherwise have multiple aspects or features assigned thereto. As a practical matter, the keys of a keypad, either in a physical form or presented on the display of the mobile device in a virtual keyboard, can only be reduced to a certain small size before the keys become relatively unusable. Typically only a single currency character or symbol can present itself on the keyboard, within a symbol screen or within a user interface display as a choice due to space constraints. This means the user must change the currency associated with the particular key or component which enables this via configuration of the device. The currency selector or component may be configured to cycle through preferred currencies but a default currency is usually assigned but has only been utilized for presenting a currency symbol in text entry applications.
For mobile devices with limited input real-estate a currency selector is provided that enables the user to select a default currency symbol to be used by the mobile device rather than presenting all the possible currency symbols on the keyboard to conserve space. When the user presses or actuates the currency selector an input signal is used by the mobile device to select the predetermined default currency or convert a transaction from a default currency to an alternative currency.
With the present system and method when the mobile device 100 changes locations it can determine that a local currency other than the default currency will be used in mobile payment transactions. The mobile device 100 can determine a location change based upon wireless network 132 parameters or by determining a location change of the mobile device 100 using GPS 190 positioning information. A query to a remote data source 124, through the wireless network, or to a database stored in memory of the device 100 may determine the currency, or currencies, associated with the determined location and associated region. When the user wants to perform a mobile payment electronic transaction, using for example near-field communication (NFC) point-of-sale (POS) mobile payment transactions, the currency selector on the mobile device 100 can be used to convert local currency of region 2 to default currency of region 1. This enables the user to conveniently understand the cost of the transaction when differing currencies are used.
Once the default currency is configured, any monetary transaction performed on the mobile device converts the amount of the mobile payment transaction to the default currency when the currency selector is actuated. The currency selection may be presented in any number of ways with other common configuration parameters of the mobile device 100 or independently. The preference screen 204 is presented to show some of the features that may be associated with configuration currency selection on the mobile device 100.
As shown by way of example in
The mobile device 100 also includes an operating system 870 and software components 872 to 878 which are described in more detail below. The operating system 870 and the software components 872 to 878 that are executed by the microprocessor 810 are typically stored in a persistent store such as the flash memory 850, which may alternatively be a read-only memory (ROM) or similar storage element (not shown). The memory may store instructions for executing the method as described below. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that portions of the operating system 870 and the software components 872 to 878, such as specific device applications, or parts thereof, may be temporarily loaded into a volatile store such as the RAM 852. Other software components can also be included, as is well known to those skilled in the art. The memory may also store currency conversion data including exchange rates and location information or instructions for retrieving the required information from repositories coupled to the network.
The subset of software applications that control basic device operations, including data and voice communication applications, may be installed on the mobile device 100 during its manufacture. Other software applications include a message application 872 that can be any suitable software program that allows a user of the mobile device 100 to send and receive electronic messages or interact with services coupled to a network for receiving transactional information. The software components 874 or software applications can provide user notification and implement transaction processing with POS devices to facilitate transactions. A networking component 876 to facilitate network interaction and interface input/output (I/O) 878 and other suitable modules (not shown). The networking component 876 can determine which interfaces the mobile device can access for IP connectivity and interact with. The interface I/O 878 may interact with physical or virtual keyboards and control communication with communication interfaces of the mobile device 100.
The example screens shown and described above in reference to the figures are provided as examples and should not be considered limiting in terms or visual presentation or content as any number of alternative configurations and implementations can be contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure. The presentation of currency selection, identification, notification, and mobile payment transaction screens may be based upon the application or operating system of a particular device and may be presented in any number of ways to facilitate mobile payment transactions using a currency selector.
Although certain methods, apparatus, and computer readable memory have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this disclosure is not limited thereto. To the contrary, this disclosure covers all methods, apparatus, computer readable memory, and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents. The embodiments of the application described above are intended to be exemplary only. Those skilled in this art will understand that various modifications of detail may be made to these embodiments, all of which come within the scope of the application.
Claims
1. A method for performing a locale specific transaction on a mobile device, comprising:
- receiving a currency selector input on the mobile device actuated by a user identifying a request to convert the local currency value to a default currency value, the default currency being one of a plurality of default currencies available through actuation of the currency selector input and being assigned to the currency selector input upon an initial actuation of the currency selector or initial activation of the mobile device;
- converting between the default currency and the local currency using a currency conversion factor; and
- presenting on a display of the mobile device the local currency value as a default currency value.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a mobile payment transaction request on the mobile device, the transaction defining the local currency value associated with the local currency.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the mobile payment transaction request is received through a near field communications interface of the mobile device.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein if the actuation of the currency selector is the initial actuation of the currency selector, the method further comprising presenting the plurality of currencies on the display and receiving a selection of the default currency from among the plurality of currencies and assign the default currency to the currency selector.
5. The method of claim 4 further comprising assigning the plurality of default currencies to the currency selector, wherein the currencies are assigned in order of preference.
6. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining a location of the mobile device and an associated default currency and assigning the default currency to the currency selector.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the location is determined by a global positioning receiver.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the location is determined by a wireless network parameter defined by a network identifier or system identifier associated with a wireless network on which the mobile device is registered.
9. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining a location of the mobile device and identifying the local currency associated with a region associated with the location and presenting a notification on the mobile device that local currency is different than the default currency.
10. The method of claim 2 wherein the currency conversion factor is retrieved from a currency conversion database through a wireless interface of the mobile device.
11. The method of claim 2 wherein the currency conversion factor is stored locally.
12. The method of claim 2 wherein presenting on the display of the default currency value is provided by a notification on top of a transaction display.
13. The method of claim 2 wherein presenting on the display the default currency value is provided by changing the local currency value to the default currency value in a transaction display, wherein the local currency value is overwritten by the default currency value.
14. A system for performing a locale specific transaction on a mobile device, the system comprising:
- a receiver for communicating with mobile payment devices;
- a display;
- a processor coupled to the receiver of the mobile device; and
- a memory coupled to the processor containing instructions which when executed by the processor for: receiving an currency selector input on the mobile device actuated by a user, the currency selector input identifying a request to convert a local currency value to a default currency value, the default currency being one of a plurality of default currencies available through actuation of the currency selector and being assigned to the currency selector upon an initial actuation or initial activation of the mobile device; converting between the default currency and the local currency using a currency conversion factor; and presenting on the display the local currency value as a default currency value.
15. The system of claim 14 further comprising receiving a mobile payment transaction request on the mobile device, the transaction defining the local currency value associated with the local currency.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein if the actuation of the currency selector is the initial actuation of the currency selector, the system further comprising presenting the plurality of currencies on the display and receiving a second signal to select the default currency from among the plurality of currencies and assign the default currency to the key.
17. The system of claim 16 further comprising assigning the plurality of currencies to the currency selector, wherein the currencies are assigned in order of preference.
18. The system of claim 15 further comprising determining a location of the mobile device and an associated default currency and assigning the default currency to the currency selector.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein the location is determined by a global positioning receiver coupled to the processor of the mobile device.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the location is determined by a wireless network parameter defined by a network identifier or system identifier associated with a wireless network on which the mobile device is registered.
21. The system of claim 15 further comprising determining a location of the mobile device and identifying the local currency associated with a region associated with the location and presenting a notification on the mobile device that local currency is different than the default currency.
22. The system of claim 15 wherein the currency selector is on a virtual keyboard presented on the display of the mobile device or the currency selector is on a physical keyboard of the mobile device.
23. The system of claim 15 wherein the currency conversion factor is retrieved from a currency conversion database through a wireless interface of the mobile device or stored locally in the memory of the mobile device.
24. The system of claim 15 wherein presenting on the display the default currency value is provided by changing the local currency value to the default currency value in a transaction display, wherein the local currency value is overwritten by the default currency value.
25. A computer readable memory containing instructions for performing a locale specific transaction on a mobile device, the instructions when executed by a processor performing:
- receiving a currency selector input on the mobile device actuated by a user identifying a request to convert the local currency value to a default currency value, the default currency being one of a plurality of default currencies available through actuation of the currency selector input and being assigned to the currency selector input upon an initial actuation of the currency selector or initial activation of the mobile device;
- converting between the default currency and the local currency using a currency conversion factor; and
- presenting on a display of the mobile device the local currency value as a default currency value.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 4, 2011
Publication Date: Apr 4, 2013
Applicant: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED (Waterloo)
Inventor: Sherryl Lee Lorraine SCOTT (Toronto)
Application Number: 13/252,273
International Classification: G06Q 40/02 (20120101); G06Q 20/32 (20120101); G06Q 20/16 (20120101);